Tire chain connector



w. R. ROYER` TIRE. CHAIN CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 50j 1942 4 Sheets-SheetlN0v.'28, w, R, ROYER 2,363,998

` TIRE CHAIN CONNECTOR Filed Jan.' 30,' 1942 4 4-Sh'eetsfSheet 2INVENTOR Y Mfilhum RRoyer Bv ma? Kimm, Minh/ML *53'4- ATTORNEYS ,A w.R.r RQYER TIRE CHAIN CONNECTOR y Nov, 28, 1944..

' Filed Jan. so-l 1942 4 sheets-sheet s Nov. 28,4 1944. w; R, ROYER ITIRE CHAIN CONNECTOR Fildqamo, V1942 "4 Sheets-Sheet 4f wmv PatentedNov. 1944 UNITED 4STATES l PMI-.zur OFFICE t 'rmlzonreiamnc'roa i 8Claims.' ((31.152-213) This invention relates to tire chains and conVnectors, 'and has for an object the provision of improvements in thisart.

The present invention is, in certain respects, an

, improvement upon the chain connector disclosed in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 383,471,

' iiled March 15, 1941, and has among its various objects the provisionof a connector which includes a light exibleelongated element-.whichwill facilitate the connection of a side chain. especially the rear sidechain which, on modern cars, vis relatively inaccessible, and which maythereafter be disposed of in a convenient manner.

Another object is to provide a connector which' will permit theelimination of looselinks at the ends of the side chain and provideparts which can be readily located and manipulated to avoid theentanglements which characterize the present handling lof chains.

Another object is to provide'ready adjustment in eiective length of theside chainsvas an improved substitute for the extra loose-links whichwere previously provided.y i

Another object is to provide for easy addition ofxa cross chain at theconnected ends whereby the chain assembly may -be readily applied without raising the wheel, and the added cross chain applied, when desired,after the car has been moved a short distance to "bring the connectedends away from the ground. y

Another object is to provide a connector which may readily be applied toexisting chains.

The aboveand other objects, advantages and features of novelty will beapparent from the following description of certain exemplary embodimentsof the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side View of the connector applied to a side chain: A

alone:

Fig. 3 is a similar side View, partly in section, of the connector withsome of the parts separated;

Fig. -1 is a cross-sectional vview taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '5 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a lcross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2; y

Fig. 'iis a side elevation. of a modified form Fig. 2 is an enlarged'side view of the connector of male member for use with the femalemember l ofl Figs. 2 to 6;

Fig. 8 is aside elevation of a modiiied form of female member for usewith the male member of Figs.2to 7; i

Fig. '9 is aside view of a modied form of connector;

f Fig. 10 is a side View of Va modified form of connector and a. pusherwhich may be used therewith;

Fig. 11 is a, section'on the line ll-I l of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is aside view of a modification of the male member shown in Fig.10;

Fig.. 13' is a. side view of another modication of the male member'shownin Fig. 10; and

Fig. 14 isa 'side view of a chain assembly on a tire showing the deviceof Figs. 10 or 13 as applied. Referring to Fig. 1, a wrap-around chainl0 is shown in operating position upon a tire Il. The'chain comprisesside chains I2, cross chains i3' and connectors I4 for the side chains..'I'he present invention is concernedwith these connectors, and one formis shown in Figs. 2 to' 6. f

The connector il comprises telescopic latch coupling members l1 and I8lwhich are respectively connected to the two ends of a side chain I2,preferably by safety latch hooks I6 and 9 respectively which permitdetachment of one or both `members for adjustment or for easy in`omitted if the present connector is supplied as,

original equipment. This form of connector is as long as the spacebetween terminal cross, chains and avoids the tangling and searching'for loose ends which was involved with the usual chains.

One of the coupling members may be provided with an' anchorage such asa. loop 2U to which a supplemental cross chain |35: may be attached,preferably so as connected.

One of the coupling members may be of considerable length and provideadjustment as by a threaded connection including the inner threaded rod2l and the outer threaded socket 22. For locking the rod and socket inadjusted positions the rod may be provided with a spline to be readilyconnected and disving behind the tire.

withits ring is very small and groove 23 and the socket with a springdetent 24.

The coupling member I1 includes a-tapered plug 25 adapted to enter aring or shroud 26 of the female coupling member I8 and a. spring latch21 adapted to catch behind the ring when the parts are drawn together.Two or more inclined bars 28 connect the shroud ring to the central partor shank-29 of the coupling member.

The coupling members as thus far described may be easily pushed togetherby hand Vorithe front side chain but are difiicult. to reach on the rearside chain. To facilitate theconnection of the rear side chain, and thefront side chain also if desired, a flexible pull-up member 35 isprovided. iThis is of sulcient iengthvto reach across the tire near theground so as to be accessible to the hands without reach- The flexiblemember may Y asea'oos now be vpulled out laterally toward the front sideIt may be desirable to move the car up some# what to make this moreaccessible.

- GOupliug he thrown around behind the tireormay be suiliciently stiffto be pushed around sothat one end may be grasped by one hand while theother end isjheld by the other hand. Both wires and ropes in strandedform are available which are lin the housing 4B.

A modified Vform of connector is shown in Fig. 8. Here the iiexiblemember 35' passes over; .a srooved' pulley 45 and somewhat reverselyout'through the pulley housing 46 provided on the female ember i8'. Theflexible memberzmay 'be provid d with-a safety hook 41 for attaching itafter the parts have been pulled up and to give it weight as an aid inthrowing it around behind the tire. The hook issmali enough to pass,readily through the ring or shroud 26' and the pass'aze i The front edge48 of the housing is disposed ahead of therear portion of the pulley" soas to have a. snubbing action on the exiblevmember when pulled backagainst it or around it, Jas .ShWn Fig. 9 shows a further modification.Here the exiblemember 35" is directly attached at tion and be completelyseparable so as to be rev moved from the chain assembly after thecoupling operation has been completed, the part 25 of the male couplingmember being provided with a guide passage 38, and the part 29 of thefemale coupling member being provided with a guide passage 39 throughwhich the flexibleI member is threaded. For convenience in threading and-to provide a later disposition of the end of the exible member for thepull-up, 'the passages are curved at their distant ends, as at 40 and 4Irespectively, to open through the sides of the parts.

The parts, as thus disposed, may be pulled up by one hand.

v iiexi'ble member out after .the coupling members have'been connected.4 The ring also assists in preventing loss of the flexible member, whichmay be wound up on it. The entireilexible member in the dash compartmentof a carter even in a vest pocket where it will' be readily accessible.

pling member which. may be used when no longimay be carried 'through a.housing v4B' over a pulley Fig. 8^form. The hook 41' secures'the end ofone end to one end of the side chain' i2, as by an eyel 50, a hook orthe like, and .is passed` C, as in the the flexible member to the sidechain. The flexible member itself serves as the connector in this case.It may be `provided with a. loop 20', for the` attachment of anauxiliary cross chain.

InFig. 10 there is shown a modification in which the male plugelement'25" which carries latch y keepers 21" is provided with a safetyhook Il" for close coupling, as in Fig. '1, and with a threadconnectedexible member 35d. The filexible member may be provided with a safetyjhookv41" -for securing it to a side chain I2, either'in use,

e as shown, or when stored in the car. The fe-gr male membermay comprisea simple ring 2l'fj` provided with an eye 5| by which itis attached tothe side chain I2. The hookJI serves as a1 stop whenv the ring is pushedup. f

The vring 28" may be pushed up into position` by a rod l2 which isprovided vat its end with 'a U,sh aped portion I3 for embracing theelongated flexible member and plugf25", as shown inFig; I1, forguidance.. 'lhe pusher may` be formed simply by bending straightrod'stoclr, the fouter end forming a hook 'l4. A spring safety keeper l5may be added to the hook, .as b riveting .orn

soldering. The hook provides mea for attachattaching tool in thecompartment with thela'rger car tools where it isnot so readilyaccessible. Fig. 'pshows a modiilcation of the male coutudinaladjustment in length is wanted. Here fthe-plug 25';.carries"the safetyhook. I6' and the latch'l' andis provided with the longitudinal passage38.'. i In applying a chain with this connector, the

vchain is iirst saddled onA the top of the tire. The maley couplingmember is brought out the end of the flexible member threaded through,

it. Or thismay be done before the chain is saddled on the'tire. The freeend of the flexible member is passed around behind the tire'with one ingthe pusher to one of the chain assemblies .to avoid loss or misplacementwhen stored in the lA car. The U-shaped end permits the pushertor bereadily associated' with or removed from the need not 'be screwed upvery tight. ,Ifvit is left.

somewhat'loose it serves its purpose and then the flexible portion. i

permits the flexible element to be unscrewedfrom the outer end withoutmuch twisting strain lon The nook It" in Fig. 1o is shown to be sex.'

ibly connected to the plug 25'?, but it may `be rig- Y idly connected,after the manner of Fig. 3, and

` may also be adjustable, as in that form. This is indicated in Fis. l2,where the threaded rod' 2l" '76 is shown to be entered into a threadedsocket 0f element 35e.

aseaces the plug 25d. Here also resilient means, such as a confinedspring` 51, is provided in the flexible The resilient means permits theflexible member to be ,stretched and attached in a secure manner, ev nif a plain hook 41d is used instead of a safe hook. It also permits theresilient flexible element to be used as a stretcher to assist inapplying the chain and in keeping the side chains tight.

In Fig. 13 a resilient flexible element 35i of the elastic type isshown, the intermediate portion being made, for example, of rubber orthe like. Depending on size, character and cure, the rubber element maybe ofyarying flexibility or rigidity and of varying stretchability orresistance, to suit various requirements. Here, again,

.it may act as a stretcher, as shown in Fig. 14.

In all of these forms where the elongated element is attached at its endto a side chain, it

, acts as an additional-safetyfactor relative to the coupling which itserves. And, of course, the flexible element can be doubled back fromits threaded point and secured upon itself or to a part as-'` sociatedwith the other end of the side chain to form a stronger connection. Infact, this connection alone may be adequate for an emergency.

In all forms it will be noted that the auxiliary flexible guidingelement is sufllciently long be yond the length of" the connected pointsof the' side chain in Apulled-up position to reach from one side of thetie to the other from hand to hand when the tire is resting on theground, whereby to avoid reaching the hand behind the tire inassociating the two ends of the side chain to make the connection. InFig. 14, the extended end of the side chain I2 at the left gives 4freelength (shown attached nto the left end of the flexible element 35i)beyond the last cross chain on that side for'facilitating the transferof the elongated flexible element around behind the tire. 'I'he right.end of the side chain may be foreshortened to stop at the last crosschain Il, as shown. Preferably, the permanent cross chains do not comeat the supported portion of the tire when it restson the ground at theconnective portion for making the connection.

While various features have been shown in different embodiments, it willbe understood, without further illustrationor explanation, that they maybe interchanged so 4far as applicable and desirable. Also, while certainembodiments have' been specifically described, it is to be understoodthatvthe invention may have various other em-l bodiments within thelimits of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claims. l s 1. Aconnector adapted to bring spaced parts .as of the ends of a .tire chaintogether and couple them, comprising in combination, two mating couplingmembers slidable longitudinally along each other to make connection indrawnup position, means connecting said members to opposd parts to beconnected as to opposite ends of a tire side chain respectively, and aflexible extension having one end secured to one of the coupling membersbehind the coupling element V vthereof and passing over a part on theother coupling member beyond the coupling element thereof but disposedin the une-dr the am of said coupling members in which said coupling members move in converging to make their connecas of the' ends o'f a tirechain together andcouple them, comprising in combination, two matingcoupling members slidable longitudinally along each other to makeconnection in drawn-up position, and elongated means for guiding saidmembers together, said means including a flexible member secured to onecoupling member behind the coupling element thereof and threaded in apassage in the other coupling member, which passage is located beyondthe coupling element thereof but aligned with the axis of said membersalong which they are moved together in making their connection.

- 3. A connector as set forth in c1aim'2 further characterizedby thefact that said flexible member is detachable from both of said couplingmembers but is connected to one of them prior to making the connectionand is threaded through a i part on the second coupling member inpreparing to'mak'e the connection.Y

4. A connector adapted to bring spaced parts as of the ends of a tirechain together and couple them, comprising in combination, two mating`coupling members slidable longitudinally along each other to makeconnection in drawn-up position; and elongated means for guiding saidmembers together, said means including a flexible 'member disposed alongthe axis of said members plingmember beyond the coupling element thereof but in the line of movement along the axis of said members leading tothe connecting position, and said flexible member being bent laterallyinvv its guide at one of said coupling ymembers to forma pull elementfor drawing the coupling elements together.

. 5. A connector adapted to bring spaced parts as of the ends of a tirechain together and couple them, comprising in combination, two matingtelescopic latch coupling members slidable longitudinally al g eachother to make connection in` drawn-up ition, means connecting saidmembers to opposite ends of a side chain respectively, a flexible memberconnected to one of said cou-l pling members through a longitudinalpassage therein in the line of telescopic movement leading to' theconnecting position, the second cou- Ypling member having a e for theflexible member, said passage turning laterally to permit the flexiblemember to be pulled out laterally,

.whereby to form a pull elementfor drawing the rl coupling memberstogether.

tion in drawn-up members to opposite ends of a side'chain respec- @andtion, to provide vrelative `converging movement and to serve as an aidin bringing said members l t together in proper alignment forconnection;

A connector adapted to hammam 1eme 'said auxiliary means including'lorconnected'to one of said coupling members through a longitudinal 6.A connector adaptedto'bring spaced parts as lof `the ends of a tirechain together and couple them, comprising-in combination, two matingtelescopic latch coupling members slidable longi; i

tudinally along eachother to make the connecposition, means connectingsaid tively, one of said connecting means being ad-V fiustable in lengthand including a locking element for maintaining a given adjustedposition,

auxiliarymeans for bringing said latch coupling members together inmaking theconnection,"

a exlble member e therein in the line of .telescopic movement leading'to theconly nccting position. the second coupling memb. hp ving passagefor '-ilexible member. said turning la `to Permit the flexible' memberto be pulled out laterally, whereby to f orm a pull element for drawingthe coupling members together. Y

'7. A connector `adapted 'to bring spaced parts as of the ends of a tirechain together and couple them, comprising in combination, twomating ltelescopiclatch coupling members slidable longitudinally along eachother to' make the connection in drawn-up position, means connectingsaid members to opposite ends ofa side'chain respectively, one of saidconnecting means being adthreaded parts, one of which is iined, and aancianas pulled out laterally whereby to form a pull element for drawingthe 4coupling lmembers together. y y

8. `A connector adapted to bringspaced parts as ofthe ends of -a tirechain together and couple them, comprising in combination, -two matingtelescopic latch coupling members lslidabie longitudinaliy along eachother to make a connection instable in length and including mating screwlocking element cooperating with the splined part -for maintaining agiven adjusted position, and

auxiliary. means for bringing said latch coupling parts together in:making the connection, said auxiliary means including a exible memberconindrawnup position, snap hooks connecting said members to oppositeends of a side chain respectively at the junction with a cross chain,one .of said connecting means including elements threaded together toprovide longitudinal adjustment, the inner threaded memberbeing splinedkandthe outer threaded member being provided with a locking detenti'lttingdn said spline for locking the parts in adjustedpositions, saidmembers being provided with longitudinal guides opening on the sides atdistant ends, and a iiexible connection-making member adapted to passthrough said guides and pull up the members into latching position.

-, WILLIAM B.,ROYER.

